White Cliffs Walking Festival aims to showcase the scenic delights, history and natural history of our area through a variety of walks suitable for all ages and abilities. Centred on the historic towns of Dover, Deal, Sandwich and Folkestone, this festival features walks ranging in length from 2 to 30 miles. Whatever your walking ability or interest, we offer walks that will tempt you to discover our beautiful coast and nearby countryside. Immerse yourself walking among Dover’s fascinating military fortifications or take in the delightful coastal views.
Come and join ‘The History Project’ on a tour through our streets as we explore the town’s famous historical residents over the years, including a host of incredible musicians, writers, actors, politicians, sailors, pilots and even a famous magician. Discover the identity of Deal’s most famous visitors including Queen Victoria, Winston Churchill, Horatio Nelson and many more. Come join the journey into our town’s past.
Flat, easy pace
NB - Parking Permits available at Deal Tides Car Park. Arrive early
Meet in station foyer. Lunch stop in Broadstairs where there is a selection of pubs or cafes. Terrain fairly flat and, if low tide, some sections will be along the beach.
Finish Ramsgate. Return to Margate, or home destination, by train or bus. To shorten the walk to 6 miles, you can finish it at Broadstairs and take transport there.
Fairly flat, moderate pace
A choice of two walks for carers and those they care for. The shorter one is fully accessible for wheelchairs. The longer one takes us through some varied scenery and a challenging hill. Lunch is provided afterwards at the cafe in Kearsney Abbey. Shorter walk is wheelchair accessible. Longer walk has one long hill, but will be taken at a steady pace.
Meet at Solley’s Farm Ice Cream. A perfect walk for families - after a pleasant stroll around the countryside, you not only eat an ice cream, but also see how they are made at this local dairy.
£7 per person, or £25 for a family of 4, payment to be given in cash to the Walk Leader at the start.
Max. 30 people
Easy pace, undulating.
Come and join a family walk to West Beach and back. We will do a scavenger hunt, the pebble challenge and search for Hag Stones. Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult
Car parking charge: £2
Flat, easy pace
Learn about the history of this ancient chalk stream as you walk towards Temple Ewell. What industries used its power? And who were the Dover families involved?
Max 30 walkers
£3 charge per person, payment to be given to the Walk Leader in cash at the start.
Flat, easy pace
Your Walk Leader has spent many years studying Dover’s archaeology, and he is back once more to tell us what it reveals of Dover’s past. With recent digs in the Market Square, there will doubtless be new
information this time around.
Max. 25 walkers
Flat, easy pace
Meet in the car park, proceed along the Stour banks, across Princes Golf Course, then head along the shore path towards the Site of Special Scientific Interest. Then back down the shore, or beach, (tide dependant) and return across Royal St George's Golf Course to Sandwich. Please bring your own water and refreshment.
The current charge for use of the car park is £1.50 per hour.
Easy terrain, moderate pace
Meet at Lyminge Village Hall car park. Bring a packed lunch, but there’s the chance of tea and snacks at the Lord Whisky animal sanctuary, Rhodes Minnis.
Hilly, moderate pace
Please park in the car park opposite the village hall. A circular walk that passes through varied scenery on its way to Kearsney Abbey. You can bring your own picnic lunch to enjoy in Kearsney Abbey grounds or use the cafe.
Hilly, moderate pace. This walk is strenuous.
A pleasant walk along this river, passing through Stodmarsh Nature Reserve. Several interesting villages along the way, including Wickhambreaux. Please bring a packed lunch.
Flat, moderate pace
Walk downstream from Crabble Corn Mill to its source in Dover and find out more about Dover’s past industries based on the Dour and its associated personalities.
Max 30 walkers
£3 charge per person, payment to be given to the Walk Leader in cash at the start.
Flat, easy pace
Walk to Dover via the White Cliffs. Fish and chips in Dover and return, at your own expense, by train or bus. Superb walk, setting sun, twinkling lights of Dover Harbour.
Moderate pace, undulating
Admire our iconic coastal scenery, and along the way we will make a detour to the picturesque bay at St Margaret’s. Bring a picnic lunch or buy a snack at the cafe. We will be finishing at the start/ finish of North Downs Way on Dover seafront.
Challenging hills, with two sets of steps, moderate pace
This walk takes us into the country, through woods, across open fields and meadows, through small villages. A chance to appreciate the beautiful countryside at such a lovely time of the year. We will have a 20 minute snack stop en route (please bring your own snacks).
Moderate pace, mostly flat, some gentle slopes
Meet in Twiss Road (beside the canal bridge), Hythe. This interesting and unusual walk will include, in the morning: the Military Canal, The War Cemetery and woods around The Elham Valley Way. Various pubs, cafes in Hythe or bring your own food. In the afternoon we will head in the opposite direction and enjoy discovering the varied nature of Brockhill Country Park. This is a figure of 8 walk, which you can join for the morning, or the afternoon, or complete both parts.
Moderate pace, some steep hills
This walk is an opportunity to visit 3 Kentish villages in one walk: Kingsdown, Ringwould and Ripple, where there is the chance to enjoy a tempting ice cream from Solley’s Ice Cream.
Max 20 walkers
Not arduous, easy pace
Meet at Deal Pier for this informative walk through gentle countryside telling the story of our local mining history. This walk takes us through Betteshanger Country Park, to the iconic miner's statue, the former pithead and Mill Hill, which was built to house the miners.
Easy pace
NB - Parking permits available at Deal Tides Car Park. Arrive early
Meet at Folkestone Parish Church. A circular walk to the coast at Folkestone, and then to the top of the Downs and back. We visit several early Anglo-Saxon sites starting with the Parish church, the site of a
monastery founded by St. Eanswythe about 630AD, another similar monastery site in Lyminge and the tiny church in Paddlesworth.
Kent LDWA (Long Distance Walkers Association) is pleased to be running two Challenge Walks as part of this year’s Festival: a 51 mile route to be completed within 22 hours and a 20 mile route to be completed within 8 hours. Both walks have checkpoints with refreshments and follow routes that go through rare chalk grassland, the beautiful East Kent downlands and parts of the historic East Kent coalfield. They also offer spectacular views across the Channel from the iconic White Cliffs above the Port of Dover. Come and discover the pleasures of a long-distance walk with us!
51 miles (82.1) or 20 miles (32.2)
Starting in the historic city of Canterbury, the route takes us through the university campus and out into Blean Woods with beautiful woodland scenery. After a picnic stop in Upper Harbledown, we walk through varied countryside and orchards leading to a pleasant walk back into Canterbury beside the Great Stour river.
Flat with some small hills, moderate pace
We will be walking along the England Coast Path and the Saxon Shore Way on this route, which takes us past fortifications from different periods, a sound mirror, and the Battle of Britain Memorial. We will be finishing on Marine Parade, close to Hotel Burstin. Bring a packed lunch.
Quite challenging, hilly in places, moderate pace NB - Parking permits available at Dover Camden Crescent
Car Park. Arrive early
This is a spectacular but quite strenuous walk taking in the five principal hills surrounding the town, including Whinless Down, Old Park Hill and the Western Heights. The walk, which offers magnificent views from all five hills, also passes Crabble Corn Mill and the Crabble ground of Dover Athletic FC. Bring a packed lunch and plenty of water.
Hilly, moderate pace
A walk through some typically English countryside and villages; a “green and pleasant land”, although at this harvest time of year, perhaps not so green! On the route we will visit some interesting war memorials. We will not have a lunch stop. (Please eat brunch first.) However, a refreshment stop, where cake can be purchased, is planned part way through the walk.
Max 20 walkers
Mainly flat with small inclines, moderate pace
Meet in the Tides car park (free for 4hrs). This is a pleasant circular stroll to the Visitor Centre that houses the Mining Heritage Museum, that focuses on an important part of this area’s history.
Max 20 walkers
Flat walk, easy pace
There is parking outside the church and along The Street. This walk follows the Elham Valley Way to Kingston through the beautiful grounds of Charlton Park, then circles round through the countryside to the south of the villages, encountering the embankment and cutting of the former Elham Valley railway.
Max 25 walkers
Some hills, easy pace
Make the most of the Bank Holiday by starting it early. Meet in front of the hotel to enjoy an early morning walk that takes in Saga Park and the Harbour Arm, then enjoy a sociable breakfast at the Lift Cafe. (At own expense)
Max 20 walkers, including leaders
Undulating, moderate pace
Plenty of free parking along Palm Bay Avenue. Lunch stop will be in Broadstairs, where there are plenty of cafes, pubs, or picnic on beach.
Possibly even a swim in the sea.
Mainly flat, on paved surfaces. moderate pace
A hilly 10 mile walk taking in part of the North Downs Way Ridge and Tolsford Hill. Great views of the English Channel and Elham Valley.
Refreshments available in Lyminge.
Max. 25 walkers
Hilly, moderate pace
On this walk, your attention will be drawn to the history that can be found by using the Dover Society’s Blue Plaques, Dover District Council and Dover Town Council Heritage Panels and parts of the Bluebird Trail and Architecture Trail. There are many outlets in town to find food before or after the walk.
Max. 30 walkers
Hilly, with several ascents and descents, moderate pace
NB - Parking permits available at Dover Camden Crescent Car Park. Arrive early
Children, bring your parents along to a thrilling smugglers’ walk! Dress up as a smuggler, paint your face and wear a hat! Get your loot from the pirates and smuggle it along a sea walk, out of sight of the nasty customs men! They will try to catch you! Option for a sing along at The Rising Sun, Kingsdown.
Max. 40 walkers
Easy pace, mainly flat, one hill
The start of this walk is just before the entry into King George VI Memorial Park. Free parking on Victoria Parade. Toilets and café inside park.
This walk highlights the delights of some of Ramsgate’s coastal, urban and rural elements. Starting on the East Cliff we will explore the lower coastal route (taking in the harbour and port), the cliffs, the villages of Pegwell and Cliffsend and the nature trail inside the Pegwell Bay Country Park. Admire some Victorian and Georgian architecture on our return. Some glorious views en route. 30-minute break - visit café or bring packed lunch
Max 20 walkers, including Walk Leader and Back Marker
Flat with some small inclines. Moderate pace
Meet at Deal Pier. A circular walk through the countryside and historic villages around Deal and Walmer, following part of the White Cliffs Country Trail and returning via the coast, passing Walmer and Deal
Castles. One hour stop for lunch in Ripple - please bring a packed lunch - refreshments may be available also in the village at the Plough Inn and/or at Solley's Ice Cream farm, both of which are nearby. Great
views, varied landscapes.
Mostly gentle slopes - one steep flight of steps. Moderate pace
NB - Parking Permits available at Deal Tides Car Park. Arrive early
Meet at the free car park near Bleriot Memorial, to the east of Dover Castle. Explore unvisited areas of Dover Castle and learn more about its history, including its natural history. This is a very enjoyable,
informative but strenuous walk. Not suitable for children or dogs. Stout boots/ shoes essential, walking poles helpful.
Max 30 walkers
Charge per person: £3.50
Moderate pace, very steep slopes and banks